"_Confidential._
"SELMA, ALA., _June 3d, 1876_.
"HON. MONTGOMERY BLAIR.
"DEAR SIR,--I have had two valued favors from you--the last
of 25th May. I was chosen as a State elector, and also as a State
delegate to St. Louis by our recent convention. It was very large,
fully representative, unusually able, and harmonious. The delegation
to St. Louis is very able, comprising many of our best men. No
instructions were given. I did not even hear much discussion of
candidates. The great leading thought is success, and to gain this
every man will sacrifice all his preferences for any particular
candidate. I think I may state safely (but I do it in personal
confidence) that not more than two of our twenty delegates favor
now the nomination of any other person but Mr. Tilden. One of these
stated to the convention that he was under no pledges to any man.
This state of opinion is the result of close scrutiny of the drift
of sentiment in the Northern States, and especially in New York. The
recent movement of Church and Kelly and others has deceived no one
here.
"I am satisfied that Alabama will be very reluctant to take such a
lead as would have the appearance of dictating the candidate to the
Northern States. The North ought to settle its differences about the
minor and purely political question of currency laws and allow us
to unite with them in demanding a pure government which will give
them a chance for life. If they force us to choose, however, we will
certainly be directed solely by the consideration of 'success.'
We can't afford to risk anything to gratify a predilection. If
you could, Bayard would get the State. I was at Montgomery at the
time you refer to as a member of the convention of 1861. I do not
remember that Mr. Bayard was there. I feel satisfied he was not
there.
"As his friend I would prefer to see him wait a time and mature more
thoroughly his great powers in the school of experience. Still, he
would now be a most acceptable President to all the people of the
Southern States.
"My conviction remains unshaken that Mr. Tilden is the strongest
man in N. Y.; that he is an honest Democrat from principle; that he
acts squarely on his convictions in everything; that his record is
one to inspire confidence in the people; that he will attack fraud
and corruption wherever he meets them, without fear or hesitancy;
and that his good sense, and the best interests of his own State,
will lead him to give to the country with which the great commercial
cities are so intimately associated in the means of prosperity,
_peace and protection_, while it is working out with honest toil its
redemption from poverty and distress. This is all we need. We do not
wish the power that springs merely from the weight of numbers in the
electoral colleges. We wish no offices, or, rather, we need none,
and our wisest men will be glad if we get but few. Let us alone,
and we will soon become richer than we have ever been.
"Genl. E. W. Peters, who is Col. Denison's law partner, is in our
delegation, and will probably be our chairman. He is a hard-money
Democrat, and is much impressed with the necessity of Mr. Tilden's
nomination as a matter of success.
"Very truly yours,
"JNO. T. MORGAN."
On the 28th of June the Democratic National Convention at St. Louis
nominated Mr. Tilden for President.
The whole vote on the second ballot was 738; necessary to a choice,
492. Tilden had 535; Hendricks, of Indiana, 66; Allen, of Ohio, 54;
Parker, of New Jersey, 18; Hancock, of Pennsylvania, 59; Bayard, of
Delaware, 11; Thurman, of Ohio, 2. Indiana seconded Pennsylvania's
motion to make Mr. Tilden's nomination unanimous, and it was adopted.
In the month of June, 1876, Governor Tilden received a note from
a citizen of Minnesota complaining that he could get no evidence
of any success achieved by the Governor in his war upon the Canal
Ring, and that it was thrown in the face of the people out there
that nothing had been accomplished. His letter concludes as follows:
"Now, if ever I have seen any disposition of these cases of
corruption it has escaped my memory, and to be prepared to answer
our assailants on their only one point, with an earnest desire
to convert them to Tilden and reform, is solely the object of my
writing."
To this letter Tilden wrote the following reply, dated June 15,
1876: "Your letter of June 12th has been handed to me. In reply, I
would like to state that it takes time to obtain the evidence and
prepare the actions, civil and criminal, in such cases as those
against the members of the Canal Ring. The machinery of justice
under the State government has not the unity and efficiency that
it has under the Federal government, where the district attorneys
and marshals are appointed by the Chief Executive instead of being
elected in their localities. On the whole, however, these cases
have proceeded with more rapidity than could have been expected
under the circumstances. You will have become, doubtless, aware
before this reaches you that George D. Lord was convicted a few
days since at Buffalo. The principal civil suit against Beldon,
Denison & Co. is set down for trial on the 12th of July. The trial
was put off for a few weeks by the court against the opposition of
the Attorney-General. The most important thing, of course, was to
break up the system, and that has been done. A secondary object is
to deter from the commission of similar offences in future, and that
work is going on satisfactorily."